"We have a bovine TB crisis that we can't ignore and which needs to be dealt with as quickly as possible," she said.

'Millionaire rock star'

"We have spent over £100m in the last 10 years in trying to control it, but it has escalated now to an unsustainable level and threatens cattle farming across Wales."

She added: "Our programme to eradicate bovine TB is a comprehensive package of measures aimed at tackling the disease in both its main sources, cattle and badgers.

"As part of our programme, we are proposing a limited badger cull in one area of west Wales where 42% of cattle farmers have had a TB breakout in the last six years."

High Court Judge Mr Justice Lloyd Jones is scheduled to listen to continued arguments in Swansea for two days.

Meanwhile The Farmers' Union of Wales branded May's decision to attend the judicial review as a "cynical publicity stunt."

Vice president Brian Walters said: "It is completely galling for those who have to live with the misery and financial losses caused by TB to see a millionaire rock star dropping in to talk about the proposed cull when he has no idea of the desperate need to control this disease."

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